Ball rack



E,' EDENSK00 BALL RACK.

I s A'PPLICATZION FILED APR.2Z, 1 91s. I 1A18f,075. v Patented May30,1922 I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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E- HEDENSKOQG- BALL RACK. APPLCATIQN FILED APILZL 1918; I V 1 ,418,075,Patented May 30, 1922..-

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ERNEST HEDENSKOOG, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

BALL RACK.

eteors.

Specification of Letters Patent. PatqentQd l flay 30, 1922.

Application filed April 22, 1918. Serial No. 229,901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ennns r HEDENSKOOG, a citizen of the United States,residing in Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ball Racks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates in general to ball racks and has more particularreference to ball racks provided for use in connection with pocketbilliard tables and the like.

Prior to my invention it has been frequently the custom in playingpocket billiards and other games of like character to remove the ballsdriven by the several players into the pockets of the pocket billiardtable and place them in a rack formed of a plurality of horizontalshelves for the purpose of scoring, each player having a shelf andplacing thereon the balls pocketed by him. The use of such a rack asthis requires the balls to be lifted out singly and in twos and threesby an attendant or by the players and either carried to the table ordeposited in a basket or other receptacle, which operation consumesconsiderable time and materially delays the play.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a practical andcommercial ball rack from which the balls of the several players may bequickly and directly discharged into the basket or other receptacle forreplacement on the table.

I am aware that numerous attempts have been made to construct rackswhich will automatically deliver the balls but these have provenimpractical in use and to be the cause of considerable expense andannoyance. In some instances these racks have required that some of theballs fall considerable distances, ultimately damaging them and inothers the arrangement has been such that a discharge of the balls hasrequired the provision of such complicated and easily disarrangedrelatively moving parts that they were expensive and their periods ofuse short. Devices of this character are usually used in public billiardrooms where they are subject to rough usage, and considerable abuse, andto be of lasting benefit they must consist of few, simple and readilyoperated arts.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter from which accidental discharge of the balls will beprevented, and where desired to construct the parts of the structure sothat any mere meddling will not be likely to result in release.

A still further and important object of the invention is the provisionof a rack constructed and arranged to reduce to a minimum theopportunity for the collection of dust and dirt.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a ball rackhaving a quick acting discharge and permitting the ready individualremoval of the balls as occasion may require.

Another object of the invention is the provision of av ball rack havinga quick acting discharge which will not result in materially damagingthe pocket billiard balls.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rack which maybe cheaply manufactured, readily operated by unskilled attendants, whichwill be of pleasing appearance and which will not occupy appreciablymore than the space ordinarily allowed i'or such appliances.

Other objects and advantages of themvention will be apparent as it isbetter understood from the following description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferredembodiment thereof.

On the drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a ball rack embodying my presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a section. taken substanitally on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. dis a section taken on the line l-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section substantially on the line 55 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. a

The embodiment of my invention shown on the drawing for the purposes ofillustra tion consists of a casing providing for the reception of theballs in vertical columns, each having a lower end closed by movablesupport which may be retracted to permit the balls in the severalcolumns to drop down into a basket placed just beneath. In order thatthe basket need not be of the and width of the rack, ways are providedto con duct the balls of the end columns centrally of the rack and intothe basket. The columns have open fronts through which individual ballsmay be inserted and removed, the arrangement permitting any ball of anycolumn to be separately taken out. The casing is preferably inclinedslightly as may be seen from viewing Fig. 2,this is principally for thepurpose of permitting the basket to be placed in accurate receivingposition beneath the ends of the ball. column.

The support for the balls of the several columns in the present instanceconsists of a narrow movable shelf which is normally held beneath thecolumns by a spring and adapted to be pushed back out of the way by thepressing of a button extending through the front face of the casing. Alock is provided to prevent the movement of the shelf from beneath thecolumns except when a basket or other receptacle is in place to receivethe balls. This lock is so arranged in the present instance that it ishidden from view and not likely therefore to-be operated by anyonecasually attempting to manipulate the device.

The embodiment shown on the drawing will now be described in detail. Thetwo side Walls 11 have an inclined front edge and a straight verticalrear edge, which rear edges are adapted to rest against the wall of aroom when the device is in position for use. The bottom 12 in thepresent instance consists of a pair of front and rear vertical members14 and 15 spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter ofthe balls to be received. The balls are received in the rack in verticalor gravity columns with one ball resting upon another and the. bottomball supported as will be presently described. Guides or partitions 16extend vertically from just above the bottom 12 to the top 13, saidguides providing channels 17 in which the balls may be positioned. Theguides 16 are fastened at their tops to a horizontal piece 18 extendingbetween the sides 11 and forming a part of the top and are connectedtogether at their bottoms by a brace 19 and also by being fastenedto'the front wall 14 of the bottom.

The guides or partitions 16 are given a pejections 23 however, insteadof being conballs are in place the largest diameter of the balls will bedisposed behind appropriately located projections 23. To take a ball outthrough the front it is therefore only necessary to lift it until itslargest diameter is opposite the interruptions or inwardly extendingrecesses 21 when it may be taken away. The guides thus provide confiningpartially arcuate channels in which the balls rest and provide alsosimilar channels arranged at intervals and extending inwardly from thefront into communication with the first mentioned channels to permit theballs to be removed. The arrangement of the balls in the channels isindicated in dotted lines at 26 in Figs- 2 and 3.

At the bottom a cross-support or bar 27 is slidably inserted at its ends28 in grooves 29 extending horizontally in the inner faces of the sides11 and located just beneath the bottom of the channels in which thegravity columns of balls may be positioned. This bar 27 is provided witha plurality of cushions or rubberbumpers 31 on which the bottommost ballof each gravity column may rest. 1

A. spring 82 embracing a push rod or button 33 secured to the bar 27 isprovided. to hold the bar in normal position beneath the channelsbetween the partitions 16. This spring is positioned between the bar anda plate 34: secured to the top of the rear wall 15 of the bottom, thiswall being cut away at 35 to permit the rod 27 to pass through the plate3 1 which forms a bearing for the rod. The rod 33 also has a slidablebearing at 36 through the front member 14 of the bottom and carries atits outer end a button 37 which may be pressed by the finger to push therod and with it the bar 27 back overcoming the action of the springs torelease the balls in the gravitycolumn and permit them to roll down intothe basket or other receptacle as will be presently explained.

Where desired 1 provide a device for preventing the balls being releaseduntil or except at such times as] there is a basket or by the spring lO.

through which moves a leaf 4E2 pivoted at 43 on the rod 33 and is pulledto position W hen the handle of the basket is engaged over the hook itpushes the leaf from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 5 to theposition shown in dot-ted lines in the same figure. This leafconstitutes a lock, which when in the position shown in full lines inFig. 5 engages a notch ea of a bar 45 as indicated in Fig. 6. The barlSis secured against the underside of the centers of the front and backmembers 14 and 15, which centers are cut away at 46 to receive thehandle of the basket. The hook and basket move with the push rod andwith the bar 27 and when the leaf 42 is in locking position it preventsthis movement by engaging in the slot as, already described. The hookand lock are positioned beneath the cabinet or rack and are not easilyaccessible for hand manipulation therefore there is little tendency onthe part of idle observers to toy with the rack when it contains theballs, insuring against an inadvertent release of the balls in thegravity columns when no receptacle is present.

It will be manifest that the hook 38, notched bar 45, leaf 42 and spring40 may all be omitted if the safety device for preventing improperconscious manipulation be not desired. In this event other support maybe provided for the basket or it may simply be held in position by thehand of the operator.

The balls move directly out of the columns and down between the bottommembers 14 and 15 and into the basket. the rack may be wider than thebasket suitable deflecting blocks or inclined channel forming walls l7are provided at the ends of the space or channel formed between thewalls 14 and 15. The position of the partition 16 is best shown in Fig.2 from which it will be noted that they are inclined. somewhat. Thisinclination permits the ballsto roll slightly in moving out of thechannels and prevents any tendency to pass out through the recesses 24when the balls are released.

It will be manifest that in a construction of the character describedsubstantially no o iiportunity is offered for the accumulation of dustand dirt in the channels for receiving the balls, obviating thenecessity of brushing out parts of the apparatus and minimizing thesoiling of the balls and hands of the players in use.

The center partition. i. e.. the one located above the handle of thebasket when the basket is positioned, is wider than the others to spacethe channels or columns apart at this point in order that the balls maynot in falling hit the handle and bounce or fall out of the basket. Theinner surface of the channel or passage beneath the gravity col- Inorder that umns is preferably covered with a layer of felt or cushionmaterial and it will be manifest that the basket, being held in closeprox: imity with all the channels permits the balls to fall therein.

t will be manifest that the balls arranged in gravity columns above thebasket drop substantially together and in paths individualized to theseveral columns when the support is removed.

In order that the push rod 37 may not be actuated by a person leaningagainst 'it or the butt of a cue striking it in the playing upon thebilliard or pocket billiard table, I provide a guard or safety deviceconsisting of, in the present instance, a pair-of blocks 51 fastened onthe outer face of the vertical member lt and extending out upon oppositesides of the outwardly extending 0rtion of the push rod to a distanceequa to or greater than the length of this outwardly extending portion.This guard is particularly desirable where the hook 38 and leaf t2 andco-operating parts are omitted since in that event it acts to preventinadvertent release of the balls and where such parts are provided itinsures against damage to the operating members. I

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendantadvantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: I

1. A ball rack, comprising a casing providing a plurality of channels inwhich the balls may repose, a discharging device, a support for areceptacle beneath said device and means comprising a notched lockingbar and a pivoted member normally engaged in the notch of said bar andremovable therefrom by positioning the receptacle on said support forpreventing the operation of said discharging device until arrangement ismade for the disposition of the discharged balls.

2. A ball rack, comprising a casing providing a plurality of channels inwhich the balls may repose, a discharging device, a support for areceptacle beneath said device, and locking means releasable by thereceptacle when placed on said support for preventing the release ofsaid discharging device when no receptacle is in position to receive thedischarged balls.

3. A ball rack, comprising a casing providing a plurality of ballreceiving channels, a support for a basket or other receptacle forreceiving the balls from said channel, and means releasable by thebasket or other receptacle on said support for producing a discharge ofthe balls of said channels into said basket or receptacle.

4. A ball rack, comprising a casing providing a plurality of ballreceiving channels,

a support :for a basket or other receptacle for receiving the balls fromsaid channel, a

latch releasable by the basket or other reviding a plurality of channelsin which the balls may repose, a discharging device, means locking thedischarging device out of action, a receptacle support, said lockingmeans being released by a basket or other receptacle for receivingtheballs when the same is placed on said support to permit operation ofsaid discharging device.

7. A ball rack, comprising a plurality of channels for receiving theballs and arranged in gravity columns, a hook therebeneath adapted tosupport the handle of a basket and locking means releasable byengagement of the basket handle with said hook to provide for thedischarge of the balls into saidbasket.

Signed in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST HEDENSKOOG. Witnesses:

THos. J. OBRIEN, ETHEL W001).

